Palladino said the new agreement with Bridgewater State is significant because the university has agreed to provide free transportation to Wareham students taking dual enrollment courses there, and to offer courses at less costly rates.

"Students will benefit from this BSU/WHS partnership in two ways: a greatly reduced tuition cost per course as well as transportation to and from BSU each day," Palladino said.

A dual enrollment program enables high school students to take and complete college-level courses which accumulate credit at both the high school and college levels. Students who participate for two years in the program can accrue two years' worth of college credits while simultaneously graduating from high school.

Free transportation through BSU was a factor, but not a determinant one for all Wareham students. Cifello and Bigelow, who will be seniors this fall, said they have access to their own transportation, while Conway (who will be a junior) said she will totally ride on free transit.

All three have enrolled in two courses at BSU for the Fall 2014 semester, but will not know for certain until August if their requests are accepted, they said.

Regardless, they said they are anxiously awaiting the rigors of college courses.

"It sounds interesting to me and it will be nice to go somewhere else after being here every day for the past three years," Cifello said. "I'm looking forward to the college experience and gaining more personal freedom."

"I want to further my education and gain more knowledge about individual subjects," Bigelow said.

"I definitely want to challenge myself," Conway said.

Bigelow emphasized a tangible benefit to dual-enrollment courses.

"I hope to take English 101 and if I pass, I will receive a full year's credit toward my high school graduation requirements," she said.

Cifello stressed the financial benefits of the program.

"I'll be saving thousands of dollars in tuition, but still earning credits," he said. "And, if I need it, free transportation is available."